Whip

Definition

Both an official of a political party in the legislature who enforces party discipline, and the written direction that official issues to members on how to vote.

Key points

• The whip ensures the attendance of party members and their voting along party lines.
• The strength of a whip is shown by underlining: a one-line whip is a notice of a vote, a two-line whip requires presence, and a three-line whip is a strict order to attend and vote as directed.
• Defying a three-line whip can attract disqualification under the concept anti defection law (Tenth Schedule).
• The office of the whip is not mentioned in the Constitution; it rests on parliamentary convention and the rules of the House.
• Each party has its own chief whip in each House.

Why it matters for CAPF

The link between the three-line whip and disqualification under the Tenth Schedule is a common cross-topic polity question.

Common confusion

The whip is unconstitutional in the sense of being absent from the constitutional text, but it is recognised by convention; only defiance of a whip on the issues covered by the Tenth Schedule risks disqualification, not every internal whip.

Parent note

political parties and pressure groups